"This is a serious business, Mr. Brown," he said sternly. "Your son and this other young man attacked old Barney Stevenson in a most outrageous manner and robbed him of a box of valuables. What Mr. Stevenson will do in the matter I don't know. I expect him here very shortly."

At once there was a wordy quarrel, Mr. Brown showing his temper in anything but a dignified manner. He wanted his son and Nappy released, and threatened all sorts of things, but all to no purpose. Mr. Powell was obdurate, and the Rovers kept themselves in readiness to use their firearms should the occasion require. Asa Lemm had little to say.

The discussion was growing exceedingly warm when there came another interruption, and Uncle Barney, followed by Frederic Stevenson, burst into the cabin. The old lumberman gazed at the a.s.sembled crowd, and then at the Rovers.

"My box? Did you find my box?" he questioned quickly.

"Yes, Uncle Barney, we've got the box safe and sound," answered Jack, and handed it over.

"Did those young rascals have it?" and Uncle Barney pointed to Slugger and Nappy.

"Yes. And that fellow was trying to file away the padlock when we got here."

"You whelps, you!" cried the old lumberman, his eyes blazing. And as he strode toward Slugger and Nappy they shrank back as far as the corner of the cabin permitted.

"Don't you hit me--don't you dare!" howled the bully.

"I--I didn't mean anything by it!" whined Nappy. He was now thoroughly cowed.

Another war of words followed, and the discussion grew even hotter than before. Again Mr. Brown threatened all sorts of things, but Uncle Barney simply laughed at him. Then Frederic Stevenson took a hand.

"Uncle Barney," he said, catching the old man by the shoulder, "you let me manage this for you, will you?"

"All right, Fred. You do as you please--only they can't have Snowshoe Island," was the old man's answer. Evidently the long standing differences between the pair had been patched up at last.

"What I've got to say, I can say in very few words," came from Ruth's father, as he confronted Mr. Brown and Professor Lemm. "You have tried to carry matters here with a high hand, and the result has been that you have laid yourselves liable to a suit at law, while those two young rascals are liable to go to prison."

"Oh, Dad! don't let them have us arrested!" pleaded Slugger.

"I don't want to bother with the law--I want to be left alone," said Uncle Barney in a low voice.

"This island belongs to my relative here--Mr. Barnard Stevenson,"

proceeded Ruth's father. "He has a free and clear t.i.tle to it, as I well know. I understand something of your underhanded work, Brown. And I understand, too, how you and Professor Lemm found out that this island contained some very valuable zinc ore beds. But your scheme to gain possession of this place has fallen through."

"Don't be so sure of that!" snarled Slugger's father.

"I am sure of it. Unless you leave my relative here alone, you are going to get yourself into pretty hot water. And not only that--if you bother him again, I'll see to it that your son and that other young man are sent to prison for what they have done."

"Say! will you let us go if my dad gives up his claim to the island?"

broke in Slugger eagerly.

"If your father and Professor Lemm will promise never to bother Barnard Stevenson in the future, I think he'll be willing to let this case against you drop."

"All right then. Dad, let's do that. We don't want the old island, anyhow!"

"You can't do anything without those deeds," added Nappy.

"Shut up! You boys make me sick!" grunted Mr. Brown.

"But Martell is right--we can't do anything without the deeds,"

whispered Professor Lemm. He was growing more fearful every moment over the outcome of what had taken place.

More words followed, but in the end Mr. Brown and Professor Lemm promised to let their so-called claim on Snowshoe Island drop. Then Slugger and Nappy were released, and all were told to take their departure as soon as possible.

"You think you're smart, don't you?" grumbled Slugger to Jack, when he was ready to go. "You just wait, Jack Rover! I'm not going to forget you and your cousins in a hurry!"

"And I won't forget you, either!" added Nappy Martell.

What these two unworthies did in the future to worry the Rovers will be told in another volume, to be ent.i.tled, "The Rover Boys Under Canvas; Or, The Mystery of the Wrecked Submarine." In that volume we shall meet many of our old friends again, and learn the particulars of some out-of-the-ordinary happenings.

"Well, I'm mighty glad they're gone," said Fred, after the visitors had disappeared in the distance.

"Glad doesn't express it!" added Andy. "I could fairly dance a jig for joy!"

"And to think we saved the treasure box!" broke in Jack.

"That's the best of all," came from Randy.

Old Uncle Barney was exceedingly happy, not only to have the box restored to him, but also because the trouble between himself and his relatives had been completely cleared away.

"I guess I was something of an old fool to quarrel with Fred and his family," he remarked to Jack later on, when talking the matter over. "It shows that a man should not be too hasty and headstrong. If I had only listened in the first place, all this would never have happened."

"I'm glad you're friends once more," said Jack.

"I owe you boys a great deal for this, just as I owe you a great deal for saving the treasure box and saving my life in the woods that time,"

answered the old lumberman with feeling.

The next day was spent by Uncle Barney and Mr. Stevenson in going over the matter of the deeds. Ruth's father insisted upon it that they be duly recorded and then placed away in a bank vault. It may be added here that later on this was done, and, later still, the zinc ore beds on the island were opened up and found to be fully as valuable as antic.i.p.ated. Old Uncle Barney became quite a rich man, and took up his home with the other Stevensons.

While the Stevensons were consulting about the deeds, the Rover boys went out on another hunt, this time accompanied by Mr. Powell, who was quite a sportsman. They had considerable luck, bringing in over a dozen rabbits, four squirrels and several partridges.

"And now we've got to get ready to go home," said Jack, a day or two later.

"Yes. And get ready for the grind at Colby Hall," added Fred.

"But we've had some dandy times on this island!" declared Andy.

"Couldn't have been better!" came in a chorus.

And here we will say good-bye to the Rover boys.

THE END

THE TOM SWIFT SERIES

By VICTOR APPLETON